Power-operated nut cracker having knives for cracking or splitting end of nuts



p 1954 .1. s. SWEARINGEN ET AL 2,690,196

POWER-OPERATED NUT CRACKER HAVING KNIVES FOR CRACKING OR SPLITTING END OF NUTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 5, 1951 I89) ise L/UOIJO/I J. Swear/n99 [John R Barfon INVENTORJ ATTOR/V/FVJ p 1954 J. 5. SWEARINGEN ET AL 2,690,196 POWER-OPERATED NUT CRACKER HAVING KNIVES FOR CRACKING OR SPLITTING END OF NUTS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1951 ATTORNEYJ p 1954 J. s. SWEARINGEN ET AL 2,690,196

POWER-OPERATED NUT CRACKER HAVING KNIVES FOR CRACKING OR SPLITTING END OF.NUTS Filed Oct. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Judson S. Sweormgen John R. Bar for) INVENTORS A TTO/YNEYJ Sept. 28, 1 J. s. SWE INGEN ET AL ,6 6

POWER-OPERA n NUT R CKER HAVING KNIVES FOR CRACKI OR SPLITTING END OF NUTS Filed Oct. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill IIIIE Hill duo; on J. dU vearl/vge'n (Jo/7n 5. Bar fofl INVENTORJ A TTORNfYJ p 28, 1 J. SWEARINGEN ET AL 2,690,196

POWER-OPERA ING KNIVES FOR NUT CRAC HAV CRACKING OR SPLITT END OF NUTS Filed Oct. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 (Judson J. Jwearmgen L/o/m R Borfon INVENTORS BYZW? 5M ATTORNEYJ p 28, 1954 v .1. s. SWEARINGEN ET AL 2,690,196

POWER-OPERATED NUT CRACKER HAVING KNIVES F OR CRACKING 0R SPLITTING END OF-NUTS Filed Oct. 5, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 I z/uason J. Jwear/ngen L/O/7/7. R Barfon INVENTORJ Patented Sept. 28, 1954 POWER-OPERATED NUT CRACKER HAVING KNIVES FOR- CRACKKNG OR SPLITTING END OF. NUTS Judson S. Swearingen, San Antonio, Tex., and John R. Barton, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to Richard Mollison, San Antonio, Tex.

Application October 5, 1951, Serial No. 249,982

22 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding and cracking nuts.

Many attempts have heretofore been made to commercially exploit cohune nuts, palm nuts and the like and to extract oil from their kernels for soap making or other purposes. Such oils must actively compete with other oils derived from different sources, and one of the major factors in determining the relative degree of success of such competition is the cost of shelling or cracking the particular nuts. In order to be successful, a machine for cracking and shelling nut-s must operate at a high rate of speed and desirably should crack several nuts per second. In addition, the cracking and shelling apparatus must be rugged and relatively easily portable so that it can be transported into remote areas of tropical countries where these particular palm nuts,

' cohune nuts and the like abound. Additionally,

the machine should be substantially automatic and simple to operate sothat unskilled help can be employed in its operation;

It is an object of this invention to provide a nut feeding and cracking apparatus which is substantially automatic in operation, is easily transportable over rough terrain, and which can feed and crack nuts at a high rate of speed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to feed and crack nuts, such as palm nuts, cohune nuts and the like, at a high efliciency and with a minimum expenditure of mechanical energy so that the nut kernels can be recovered economically.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to feed and crack nuts whose ends have difi'erent cracking characteristics, the apparatus being adapted to longitudinally align the nuts and to crack the same without any particular end-for-end orientation of the nuts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut feeder from which nuts are discharged one by one with their longitudinal axis aligned in a particular fashion, the feeder having a high feeding efficiency when operated to feed the nuts at a rate of several per second.

Another object of this invention is to provide a feeder having a notched wheel for feeding nuts varying in size between predetermined limits, there being provided means for substantially preventing two nuts from being discharged simultaneously from the feeder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a feeder having a notched wheel for feeding nuts from a hopper with means for unloading excess nuts from the notches while still within the hopper to substantially prevent feeding two nuts at one time.

Another object is to provide in such a feeder an aligning means for longitudinally orienting the nuts Within the notches, the orienting means being adapted to prevent jamming of the feeder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut feeder and cracker wherein nuts from a hopper are singly fed in a longitudinally oriented fashion to the cracker, the latter being adapted to remove the nuts from the feeder and to crack the same while supported by the cracker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut cracker adapted to crack nuts whose ends each have diverse cracking characteristics, the cracking being accomplished without orienting the nuts to have one particular end thereof always placed in any particular end-wise relation to the cracker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut cracker adapted to lift a nut from a feeder coacting therewith and to support the nut while applying endwise force to the shell or husk.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cracker wherein a nut is grasped between opposing holding means vand then has its shell or husk cracked or split by the endwise application of knives, the holding means being sufiiciently withdrawn to provide space for lateral displacement of the shell or husk during the cracking operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut cracker wherein two fluid responsive means are provided to respectively carry a nut holder and a plurality of radially disposed knives, the two responsive means being movable relative to each other, means being provided to retract the nut holder responsive to movement of the knives to crack a nut so that the endwise gripping of the nut by the nut holder is withdrawn to permit lateral displacement of the husk or shell of the nut during the cracking operation but nevertheless remaining sufiiciently close to the nut to limit penetration of the knives thereinto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nut cracker wherein a hydraulic means is provided to drive a plurality of radially disposed knives into the end of a nut, the hydraulic force for actuating said hydraulic means being provided by a reciprocating piston-type pump so constructed and arranged that the displacement of a single stroke of the pump will fully actuate the hydraulic means whereby a maximum of hydraulic energy can be delivered to the knives with a minimum of input energy.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic valving means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to a nut cracking unit wherein there is provided a housing rotatable on a shaft, a fluid passage through the shaft with two end ports opening radially out to the surface of the shaft, one of the end ports being disposed to periodically register with a passage in the housing upon rotation of the latter, and the other end port being simultaneously closed by the housing and further being on the'opposite side of said shaft and axially displaced from the first end port so that both the bearing load caused by the exertion of fluid pressure through the first end port and any bending torque exerted on the shaft by cracking means carried by the housing are both substantially diminished.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon a consideration of the written specification, the appended claims and the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the nut cracking and feeding apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partially in section, of the feeder showing it in somewhat more detail than in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view taken on the line ll-l of Fig. 1 and illustrates a portion of the hydraulic system of this invention;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, partially in crosssection of the nut cracking head assembly of this invention;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation of an individual cracking unit;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line i i-i I of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a View taken on the line ii -l2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of a port arrangement adapted to be used in directing hydraulic fiuid to actuate the cracking unit illustrated in Fig. 7 in a particular sequence;

Fig. 14 is a development view of the surface of the member shown in Fig. 13; and

Figs. 15 to 19, inclusive, are views taken on the lin i5l5 to iii-49, inclusive, of Fig. 14.

Referring now to the drawings, and particu larly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a nut feeding and cracking apparatus comprising generally a nut feeder 2d and a nut cracker 21. The feeder generally comprises a hopper 22 mounted on a frame 23 and a rotatable notched wheel 24 mounted so as to have a portion of its periphery extending into th hopper so a single nut can be received in each of the notches of the wheel and. be delivered to a nut transporting means 25 adapted to receive nuts from the feeder and transport the same to the sheller 2!. The nuts, as will be more fully described hereinafter, prior to leaving the feeder, are oriented so as to have their longitudinal axis perpendicular to the plane of rotation of wheel 24 and to lay crosswise of transporting means 25. The nuts are then carried to the cracker where they are grasped between opposing nut holding or grasping means of the individual shelling units 26 carried by rotatable housings 21. While so grasped, the nuts are lifted from the transporting means and carried to a position removed therefrom, after which endwise splitting knives are applied while retracting the grasping means to permit lateral displacement of the husks or shells but at the same timelimiting the penetration of the knives into the ends of the nuts. After the splitting operation, the grasping means and the knives are retracted to drop the cracked nuts, both kernels and shells, into a chute 23 for delivery to subsequent processing operations.

It will thus be seen from this general description that the nuts are removed from hopper 22, longitudinally aligned and delivered to a cracking unit which grasps the nuts, lifts them from the transporting means and then splits the husks or shells by endwise forces applied within predetermined limits while permitting lateral displacement of the split portions. With this general operation in mind, a detailed description of the elements comprising portions of this apparatus will now be given. Turning to the feeder as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, hopper 22 is shaped to have sloping sides 22a to feed nuts disposed therein into a decreased area in the bottom thereof, the bottom portion of the hopper comprising vertical side portions, sloping end portions and a bottom plate 2a. This plate has a slot 30 cut therein for receiving a portion of wheel 24.

Wheel 24 can be mounted on a shaft 3! carried by bearings 32 on frame 23 so that the wheel can freely rotate through slot 30 to have a portion of its upper periphery extending into hopper 22. The wheel is formed with a plurality of notches 33 spaced along its periphery into which nuts fall upon turning of the wheel through the hopper. Disposed oneither side of the wheel at the bottom of the hopper are fairings 34 which have upper surfaces approximately cylindrical in contour so that they approximately parallel the adjacent circumference of wheel 24 but being positioned somewhat below the outermost points of the teeth 33a between notches 33. These fairings extend from their respective sides of the hopper to a point near the wheel but leaving a substantial clearance therewith. They prevent nuts from falling beside that portion of the wheel within the hopper and assure feeding of the nuts into the notches.

Disposed around a portion of the periphery of wheel 24 from a point immediately adjacent the hopper to a point near the lowermost portion of the wheel is ameans for longitudinally aligning the nuts in the notches of the wheel so that the same can be discharged from the feeder with their. longitudinal axes oriented to be perpendicular to the plane of rotation of wheel 24. This means can comprise a track against which the nutsroll so that during such rolling, the axis of a nut is properly aligned. The track can comprise a first section 35 and a second'section 39. This track is mounted to be in close proximity to the wheel and. supported by a flexible connection to the. frame in such a manner that should a nut become wedged between thetrack and the notched wheel, the track can move away from the wheel to prevent jamming. The flexible connection. for section 35 can comprise two elongate flexible members .36 connected to frame or middle will be free to move away from the wheel by flexing member 36 and thereby prevent jamming of the wheel to interrupt its turning.

The lower end of section 35 is joined by means of a plurality of interlocking fingers to lower track section 39 which likewise has cooperating interlocking fingers to form a flexible joint designated generally by numeral. Track section 39, like section 35, is maintained to be flexibly situated with respect to wheel 24 by means of a pair of members 4| joined to the frame and having their other ends connected to. the track. Track sections 35 and 33 are formed with their inner or nut contacting face to have inwardly sloping sides 42. Arcuate side members 43 can be provided at each side of the track to prevent nuts from falling therefrom.

As one feature of this invention, means are I provided for preventing more than one nut from remaining in any one notch of the wheel as it leaves the hopper. Thewidth of notch 33 is made to be such as to freely accommodate a single nut lying with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to one side of the wheel. It has been found that there will be instances where two nuts will fall into the same notch while the same is within the hopper and means are provided to remove all of the nuts except one from the notch. Such means includes a member mounted to overlay a portion of the wheel and to extend to a point near and being flexible away from the periphery of the wheel. As shown in the drawings, this member comprises a plurality of flexible fingers 50 formed to have their ends 5| lying immediately adjacent the periphery of the wheel and to extend through a continuation of opening 30 in the hopper to form a flexing loop 52 with their other ends joined to the hopper by means of a clamp-down member 53 and bolt 54.

With such construction, fingers 50 are flexible away from the periphery of the wheel and also in the direction of rotation of the periphery of the wheel should any of them jam against a nut v protruding from a notch. C'oacting with this flexible member is an unloading ridge 55 joined to fairing 34 and disposed substantially horizontally and adjacent to one side of wheel 24 and extending past the periphery of the wheel in such a manner that the lowermost portion of a notch rises over the end of 55a as the wheel is rotated and, as the rotation continues, the bottom of the notchmoves arcuately along the unloading ridge and recedes below the level thereof. In this manner,'the end of any nut protruding from the end of the notch into the space between the wheel.

and an adjacent fairing contacts the unloading ridge which lifts the end up for contact with ends 5! of fingers 50 which removes the nut from the notch, thereby leaving only one nut therein. While unloading ridges are shown in the drawing at each side of the wheel, very successful operation of this feeder has been obtained with only one unloading ridge. However, if desired, unloading ridges can be used on both sides of the wheel.

In operation, the wheel 24 is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 to move notches 33 through the lower portion of hopper 22. As a notch enters the hopper, one or more nuts will fall thereinto and portions of other nuts laying in the hopper may also. extend into the notch. As the notch containing the nuts rotates towards the unloading ridge 55, the nuts will be lifted up over this unloading ridge and, with continued rotation of the wheel, an end of a nut protruding from the side of the wheel will rub along the unloading ridge to up-end it in the notch for removal therefrom by means of flexible fingers 50. These fingers, with the adjacent portions of fairings 34, prevent nuts in the hopper from again falling into a notch after the same has been rotated past ends 5| of the fingers and also prevent the nuts from falling out of the slot provided in the hopper below the fingers. After a notch containing a single nut has been rotated to emerge from the hopper, continued rotation of the wheel will permit the nut to fall against track section 35. The nut will then continue to roll along track sections 35 and 33 under the impelling influence of wheel 24 and, due to the V-shaped face of tracks 35 and 39, the nut will become aligned or oriented in such a manner that its longitudinal axis will be perpendicular to the plane of rotation of wheel 24. After the nut has'been rolled along track 39, it will be finally discharged therefrom into the nut transporting means.

It will be appreciated that the hopper is particularly adapted to feed nuts, such as cohune nuts, palm nuts and the like which are ovate in shape so as to provide a longitudinal axis longer than a diameter perpendicular thereto.

The nut transportin means is illustrated in the drawings to .comprise an endless conveyor having a plurality of receptacles or buckets l0 spaced apart along its length and adapted to receive nuts from track section 39'. These receptacles are relatively narrow in width so that the ends of the nut protrude therefrom for a reason which will becomeapparent hereafter. Receptacles 10 are joined together by lengths H of chain which not only connect the receptacles together but give them a requisite amount of flexibility so that theconveyor can be passed over a sprocket gear 12 having teeth 13 therein adapted to engage the lengths of chain and cut-away portions 14 into which the receptacles 70 can fit. A similarly shaped-sprocket I5 is provided at the cracking end of. the apparatus so that the conveyor can receive nuts from the feeder and convey them to a pointwithin the cracker.

The cracking. or shelling apparatus of this invention comprises-a plurality of pairs of opposing individual cracking units which can be disposed in a rotatable-housing so that the units can be rotated about an axis and in synchronization with the nut conveying means in such a manner that holdin means comprising a portion of the units can be extendedtojgrasp a nut from the conveying means and to lift it therefrom, after which cracking knives areapplied to each end of the nut while withdrawing the holding means to permit lateral expansion-of the shells or husks of the nut as the same are cracked. In a preferred form the withdrawal ofthe'holding means is limited to.

limit the penetration of the knives into the nut. A description of the individual cracking unit, as illustrated in Fig. 10, will be given before completing the disclosure of the entire cracking apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 10, there is shown a housing having an end 8| closed and the other end open so as to form a cylinder within the housing. Extendin from one end of the housing is a nut holding or grasping means which can comprise an: annular: part: flzzhaving an :interiorsshaped' so was to slope :inwardly asi'atit Mazand.itoibeaaidapted 1 to receive the endoianut: therein. This annular part isactuated by aifiuid responsive 11168115180 as J to bezextendablezwith respect .to the housing; :i'lhe fiuid' responsive imeans; can: comprise a. piston 83 "reciprocally received \vithinLthe. cylinder: of; the

housingandbeing: prevented from rotating therein by a suitable aligningspini 8t. .carriedrby/wall "-8 I and extending intoa corresponding opening in the piston. Piston 1'83. :has 1a :pressurei face-.185

' adapted to be placedmcommunication with a source'of hydraulic fluid by meansof conduitliti and passage $7 in such a1manner .that:rwhenrfluid pressure is exerted onthe iace sfi ofithe piston; "the latter moves toward the openendofthehousing-to extend :annularupart 2. .L'PartaBS-has. an

outer stop means, as a-ridge iithlwhich is adapted -to abut seal container'rin silufltollimit the'travel or: part 83 on those oocasions-xthatfla' nuttto "be "cracked is not picked up;- Ring tifldprefer'ably is threaded inte'riorly' into the open=end of part'. 80. A second fluid responsive means is provided .to

carry a plurality of k'nives iit arranged/to: have theircutting edges ili extending radially from the ---longitudinal axis of annular part i 82. "The number of individual knives can'bevaried from two "to as many as seven or eight withsome variation "in-splitting efficiency. It has been foundthat =four is an optimum number. of knives and that'the flange portion 9 I.

-'cu-tting edgesof these knives should be'arranged 90 degrees'apart. Each individual knife is comprised of a cutting edge-"$9, a shank 68 and a Cutting edge 8%) is preferably formedby hollow grinding the outerend of-shank 90 to leave a sharp'cutting edge. ground edge tends to force the segments of the This hollow 'nut shells apart so as to more-readily effect their -removalfromthe kernel of the'nut. The flange portion of the knives is seated against an outer "-face of piston 92 and-connected thereto by aligning'pins 93 and a bolt94 whose head extends to engage the flange portion-of the shank. Piston 92 'is preferably received within a cylinder formed within piston 83 by annular wal1s 83a so as to have an-inner end 95 abutagainst the outer end of piston 83. End 95 is supplied witha pressure "fluid from conduit 99 and passages Bl and 98 from a source to be more particularlydescribed i hereinafter. It is tobe noteclthat a'should'er 180 n on the knives is positioned to abut' against a #shoulder IiII on annular part'tz and to thereby "limit'the' movement of 'piston'fiil and :with respect to annular part 82.

-Meansare provided for retracting annular part,

knives 88 82in a directionopposite to thatwhi'ch it'is moved by the application or'fluia against face-85 of ipi'ston 83; the movement of annular part'iiz'being "responsive tomovement ofpiston 92 and knives -5.88. Suchmeans cancomprisea third'piston man 'carried by piston 92 and extending-:through B3. the 'chamberbehind piston is fixed soas to remain constant, as by closing avalve in conduit 86,- and. upon the application'of fluid-pressure to piston: 83 to provide .a pressure face l Min. communication with the fiuidichamber behind piston When the volumeofthe hydraulic fluid in facet-l5 of piston 92 to'move the latter outwardly from housing 83, the concurrent movement of piston Hit with respect to piston 83 WilPtendto increase the'volume of the fluid chamber behind piston 83. Since this chamber is filled witha substantially incompressible hydraulic" fluid; movement ofpiston I03 will cause piston'83and anqnular. part; 82 to :be retracted into and towards the housing, .The efiective area of face. Hi4 ofpiston --I osrcana be :fixed sowthat upon av predetermined .-.1ongi=tudinalwmovementpofpiston H33, piston-83 w -ill3:be: retracted .intoxthe housing av desired'ex- .tentwtocause annular part-82 to move a predeteramined .amountwwith respect to knivestS.

..\Means':are; provided forretracting pistonsBZ hand 83 into housing :80 upon release of-fluid 10 apressurefrom behind them. .Such means can :comprise anextension- [I0 of housing 80, forming .ancylinder: II Iv inwhich is disposed .a piston I I2 carried on a connecting rod H3. The latter. can :.be' formedrasan-extension of, piston I03. with fluid-Lpressurezapplied to cylinder III from Then . :conduit II 4. and: via; passageway I I5, pistons83 and 92 'will be. retracted intov the housing.

=.Aplurality of these individual cracking units a'recarried in :opposingpairs by a housing wean compriselarmain support portion IIB jouradapted to-rotate upon ashaft H5. The housing naled to the shaftuand .avpair of spaced apart iradiallflanges. III- and I IB-and vhaving pairs of v:coaxial openings therein for receiving the indii to the.radialiflanges by'meansof lugs l lScarried :byzrhousingrflil of..the.individual crackingum'ts and bolts I20. A-suitable-cover I2! canxbebolted vidual crackingunitsi .Thelatter can be attached to support portion l liito enclose the individual shelling. units. 1

. 'It".wi1l..thus be seen that the. individual crackring..-units.:26 are. carriedin ahousing having two a spaced: apart 'radial iportions.

Opposing "pairs cofihesecrackingunits arearranged to have annularzparts82wmovable coaxially toward each I other audistance :sufiicienhthat.eachpartcan contact one endof anut positioned therebetween.

-.In. aazsiniilar. mannerptheaxis of movement of ..the knives: iIlI'OIlE' opposingvunit of apair is oo- 40;

: oi the pair.

axial with the axis of movement of the other unit ".Meansrare provided Q for supplying hydraulic fluid to .the' individual i cracking units .of the nut cracker in a definiteprogrammed sequence to secure the desired operation of the individual cracking runitsrin synchronization with the nut a" conveying means passing: therebetween.

. There iszprovideda means forsupplying a low 1 zipressure hydraulic fluid continuously. to cylinder s to periodically .supply. 1 lowipressure fluid to the .:pressure;.chamber behind piston. 83.

I I I- of .each of. the individual. crackingv units and This means can. includena. hydraulic. pump I30 havingrdiswchargeconduits I3I" and I32 leading to..a;suitable valve arrangement.'for controlling ithet'fiuid flow :to the individual cracking ..units as later::described. e'Fluid supplytmeansare also provided for. periodically supplying. high pressureufiuidz to lmivestsrinto the nut tobe cracked. This-latter piston: type pump I33. for 'each' str'okeuthereof is. preferably at least equal to or slightly: greater than" the: volume? of' oil required to drive two, of I the. pistons 83 of two. individual cracking units outwardly. With such arrangement, it is possible atosynchronize the reoiprocationaof-thepump with the cracking operation .insuch a way. that a .full stroke of l. thepumpis .used to actuate the piston j carrying the knives. of.-one,. pair..-of..units. ..75

force against which the piston of pump aeeouee I33 acts is essentially the force which opposes the movement of the knives and substantially the only work done by the piston is that required to force the knives into the shell. Further, the greatest cracking force required by the knives is encountered near the end of their stroke and, at this point, the reciprocating piston will be near the end of its stroke and when the crank is in that portion of its revolution to move the piston most slowly, it will apply its greatest leverage. This mechanical advantage tends to reduce the shock to the powering mechanism and otherwise minimizes inertia forces in the system. When it is desired to drive the piston carrying the knives outwardly so that shoulder I abuts against shoulder IOI each time the opposing pair of knives are driven outwardly, it will be advantageous to increase the displacement of pump I03 to be slightly in excess of. the hydraulic fluid required. In such event, a high pressure by-pass I31 can be provided with a relief valve I38 adapted to permit excess fluid to flow back into a reservoir I39. Pump I33 can take suction from this reservoir through line I40.

Referring now to Figs. 13 to 19, inclusive, there is illustrated a valving means for selectively programming the hydraulic fluid flow to and from the individual cracking units as the same are rotated about shaft II5. Briefly, this program is: (1) drive annular parts v82 of an opposing pair of cracking units outwardly toward each other to grasp a nut as the pair of units are rotated to their uppermost position; (2) hold the annular parts against the'nut while the pair of units are rotated to lift the nut from the transporting means (usually 90 of rotation); (3) drive the knives into the ends ofthe' nuts while concomitantly withdrawing the annular parts a short distance and (4),withdraw both the annular parts and the knives to release the cracked nut.

The means for providing this valving sequence is illustrated in Fig. 13 which it will be understood represents a section of shaft II5 as indicated by the numeral I3 and sprocket in Fig. 8. A- similar section on the other end of shaft H5 is provided except that it is reversed from that of the right end of the shaft. This valving means can include a sleeve I50 fixed to shaft H5, or made integral therewith, and having a bearing surface I5I for supporting housing H6. The sleeve has a circumferential slot I52 around it which is placed in communication with a passage I53 in shaft II5 by an end port I54. Passage I53 is in turn connected with low pressure supply conduit I3I. Conduits H4 of each of the individual cracking units are aligned with and open out onto slot I52 so that hydraulic fluid is constantly supplied to cylinder I I I of the cracking units.

To one side of slot I52 is a short slot I55 which is connected to slot I52 by longitudinal slot I56. A second slot I5'I extends partially around the sleeve in the same radial plane as 'slot I55 and is divided therefrom by lands I58 and I59. This second slot is a drainage passage and is connected by end port I60 to passage I6l leading through shaft I I5 to drain conduit I62 and reservoir I39. Radially aligned with slots I55 and I51 is conduit 86 leading to the pressure face of piston 83 of each cracking unit. Thus, with rotation of housing IIB, pistons 83 will be necessarily and periodically placed in communication with the low pressure source of fluidwhen their respective conduits 86 pass across slot I 55. While 10A. these conduits pass across land I59, hydraulic fluid will be locked behind piston 83. Upon further rotation, conduits 66 will be placed in communication with drain slot I5! to drain. the fluid from behind piston 83.

A high pressure slot I65 axially displaced from slots I55 and E52 and in. radial alignment with conduit 95 is provided to valve high pressure fluid to piston 92. This slot communicates with conduit 535 via passage I66 and port I6! in shaft II5. High pressure slot I65 is disposed to radially coincide with land I59 so that high pressure fluid will be applied to drive the knives of the cracking units outwardly while conduit 86 ofthe same unit is blocked by land I59.

A drain slot I66 for conduit 96 is provided in the same radial plane as high pressure slot I65. This drain slot is connected by cross-slot I69 to drain slot i5l and passage I6 I.

High pressure balancing slotI'I!) is provided so as to be diametrically opposite high pressure slot I65 and axially removed therefrom. This balancing slot is connected via port I'II to high pressure passage I66 in shaft H5 so that when pressure fluid exerts force on housing H6 through slot I65, it will likewise exert an opposing force on the housing through balancing slot I10 thereby substantially balancing the bearing load on shaft H5. The dimensions of I65 and I10 and their relative positions can be so proportioned and arranged that the resulting radial forces will balance;

As the two sets of opposing knives of the cracking units penetrate a nut, they apply a bending torque to shaft I I5. By arranging balancing slot I10 axially inwardly of high pressure slot I65, there will be a counter-torque applied to shaft II5 which tends to balance the torque applied by the cracking units; thus the reason for axial displacement of the balancing slot from the high pressure slot.

Collection slots H2 connecting with drainage slot I51 can be placed on either side of high pressure slot N65 to catch any hydraulic fluid flowing therefrom along the bearing'surface I5I and to limit the area, over which the high pressure fluid can act on either side of the high pressure slot.

The operation of the cracking apparatus is believed to be obvious from the foregoing. With a plurality of opposing pairs of cracking units mounted as in Fig. 8 so that each unit has separate radial conduits 66, 96 and H4 connecting it with the bearing surface I5! of sleeve I56 and with each of similar conduits aligned as above described, a pair of units in their uppermost rotative position will have their conduit 66 passing over slot 455 to drive piston 83 and part 62 outwardly to grasp a nut between the opposing annular parts. Continued rotation of this pair of units will pass this conduit 86 over land I56 thereby locking fluid behind piston 63. At the same time, conduit 96 will be brought over slot I65 and, with pump I56 synchronized to deliver a stroke of fluid at the same instant, high pressure fluid is applied to drive piston 92 and knives 88 outwardly. In so doing, piston I63 will likewise travel outwardly which Will cause piston 83 and annular part 62 to retract a predetermined distance. This action occurs after the nut has been lifted from transporting means 25 and can be when the particular units have been rotated about 90 degrees from their uppermost position.

As the pair of cracking units continue rotating, conduits 86 and will be brought over drainage slots I57! and M8,, respectively, to release fluid from behind pistons and 32. -ow pressure fluid which is applied continuously to cylinder III and piston I52 through slot I52; and conduit ill! will then cause both of the pistons and attendant parts to be retracted into the housing to release the cracked nut, preferably near the lowermost rotative position of the pair of cracking units. These units continue their rotation while in retracted position until they again reach their uppermost position when the cycle will be repeated.

It will be appreciated that other pairs of cracking units at different angular locations will undergo the same cycle but with the steps of the cycle occurring at a different time for each pair depending on its angular location.

A rotatable'inember'for carrying the nut transporting means between the opposing pairs of cracking units is carried by shaft H and housing i I6. This member can be a sprocket Tr having teeth I8il for engaging chain lengths ii of the transporting means and also having cut-away portions ISI for receiving receptacles lll. This rotatable member has its axis of rotation eccentric with that of shaft l 5 and with that of the cracking units 25 so that as a receptacle rotates with sprocket around shaft H5 with a pair of cracking units, the receptacle will be removed radially inward and away from the pair of cracking units so that a nut grasped therebetween will be lifted free and clear from the receptacle. In this manner, cracking of the nut will not cause the nut transporting means to be shaken or vibrated and will thereby prevent other nuts from being jarred from the transporting means. The requisite eccentricity for sprocket "I5 can be pro-- vided by a stationary eccentric bearing I85 carried on housing H5. The eccentricity can be adjusted by rod I86 connected between bearing I85 and a portion of frame 23.

A driving system is provided comprising an engine I87 which not only drives pump I30 but also the nut feeder, transporting means and the cracking apparatus. Thus a shaft I88 transmits power from the engine to a speed-reducer I89. On out-put shaft I90 of the speed-reducer are sprockets I9I and I92. The latter is connected by achain to sprocket I93 attached to housing H5 to drive the same. Sprocket IllI is connected by chain I94 to sprocket I95, idler sprocket I96 and sprocket I91. Sprocket I95 and sprocket 12 are keyed to a common axle so that nut transporting means 25 is driven by sprocket I95 and merely idles with sprocket I5. Also, sprocket I9? is keyed to shaft lit with wheel 24 to drive the same.

Sprockets I95 and I9? are made of such size that a notch of wheel 24 is moved past the end of track section 39 each time a receptacle ill passes thereunder thereby synchronizing the nut feeder and the transporting means to place nuts in each of receptacles Hi. In a similar manner, sprockets I93 and I92 are sized so that a pair of cracking units are aligned with each receptacle as it moves therebetween and remains in such alignment until the receptacle returns to the feeder for a new nut.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be em- 1'2 ployed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A nut cracker which comprises, in combination, two annular parts coaxially spaced apart, means for concomitantly moving said parts toward each other a predetermined amount, radially disposed knives adjacent one of said parts and adapted to be moved parallel with respect thereto, means for moving said knives toward the other of said parts and a second means for moving said part adjacent said knives in a direction away from said other of said parts responsive to movement of said knives toward the other of said parts.

2. A nut cracker which comprises, in combination, two annular parts coaxially spaced apart, first fluid responsive means for concomitantly moving said parts toward each other, two sets of radially disposed knives each adjacent one of said annular parts, second fluidresponsivemeans for concomitantly moving said knives toward each other and with respect to said annular parts, and third fluid responsive means for moving said annular parts away from each other a predetermined amount responsive to movement of' said knives toward each other.

3. A nut cracker which comprises, in combination, a housing having two coaxial openings therein forming two cylinders with their open ends facing'each other, two first pistons, one in each of said cylinders and each forming'aflrst fluid chamber with the closed end of its respective cylinder, two spaced apart coaxial annular parts. eachcarried respectively by one of said first pistons, two second pistons each received within one of said annular parts and reciprocal with respect thereto and each forming a second fluid chamber with the first piston adjacent thereto, two third pistons'each carried by one of said second pistons and slidably but sealingly extending through the first-piston adjacent thereto to be exposed to the respective first fluid chambers, two sets of knives with radial cutting edges each carried by one of said second pistons internally of said annular parts, fluid: passages to said first and second fluid chambers and'means forbiasing one set of said first and second pistons away from the other set thereof.

'4. The apparatus of claim 3 in combination with fluid pressure supply means for said first and second fluid chambers including valve means for shutting off ingress and egress of fluid from said first chambers while fluid pressure is being supplied to said second chambers.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the fluid supply means for said second fluid chambers comprises a reciprocating piston type pump having a fluid displacement per stroke slightly greater than that required to move said second piston the desired distance.

6. A nut cracker which comprises, in combination, a rotatable housing and carrying cracking means, each of said cracking means comprising an annular part, first fluid responsive means for moving said annular part with respect to its housing, a knife having radially dissecond fluid responsive means for moving said knives with respect to said annular part, third:

fluid responsive means for moving said part in a direction opposite that which it is moved by said first fluid means and responsive to movement of said knife; said cracking means being arranged in opposing pairs so thatJ-the axes of movement of the annular part and knife of one cracking means is coaxial with the axes of movement of the annular part and knife of an opposing cracking means; nut feeding means for carrying an individual nut to a point between said cracking means; and hydraulic, supply means for saidfirst and second .fluid responsive means including valve means for governing flow there-,- to in such a mannerthat fluid is supplied to said first fluid responsive means to extend said annular parts toward each other to grasp the nut carried by said feeding means and then to cut ofi fluid flow to and from said first fluid responsive means while thehousings are being rotated and then to apply fluid pressure 'to-said second fluid responsive means to move'oneof said knives towards the other.

'7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said feeding means comprises a nut carrying receptacle revolvable between an opposing pair of said cracking means but about an axis eccentric with the axis of rotation of said cracking means.

8. The apparatus of claim '7 wherein said receptacle is included in a chain supported at least in part by a sprocket between said cracking means.

9. A nut cracker which comprises, in combination, a rotatable housing having spaced apart radial portions, first and second piston reciprocally received in each of said housing portion, an annular part carried by each of said first pistons and radially disposed knives carried by each of said second pistons, the respective annular part and knives of one housing portion being coaxially opposed to but spaced apart from the annular part and knives of the other housing portion, retracting means for moving said annular parts away from each other a predetermined distance upon movement of the knives of one housing portion toward the knives of the other housing por tion; feeding means for positioning a nut between the opposing annular parts; means for supplying fluid to said first pistons to move said annular parts toward each other to grasp the nut therebetween; means for rotating the housing to lift the nut away from the feeding means; means for supplying fluid to said second pistons to drive the knives of the two housings toward each other while said retracting means moves the annular parts a predetermined distance away from the nut; and means for releasing fluid pressure from said first and second pistons to release the cracked nut.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said retracting means includes a third piston connected to said second piston and extending through said first piston to be in communication with the fluid actuating said first piston and wherein the means for supplying fluid to said first piston includes a valve adapted to lock fluid behind said first piston while fluid is being supplied to actuate said second piston.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fluid supply means for said first and second pistons includes a shaft with a bearing surface upon which said housing rotates, first passages in said shaft communicating with sources of fluid supply for said pistons, first ports opening out onto said b aring surface from said first passages, said housing having second fluid passages therein from behind said first and second pistons to seci 0nd ports opening onto said bearing surface, said first and second ports being arranged to periodically provide communication between the source of fluid supply andsaid pistons upon rotation. of said housing. 1

'12. The'apparatus of claim 11 wherein there is provided a balancing fluid port from one of said first passages in said shaft to said bearing surface, said port being closed by said hOuSing and bein diametrically opposite to and axially removed from another port communicating with said one passage. 1

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the means for supplying fluidto said second piston comprise a reciprocal piston type pump having a per stroke displacement at least equal to the volume of fluid required to move said first piston and knivesdurmg the cracking stroke thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the feeding means comprises a nut receptacle open at its ends and top and carried by a flexible member about a rotatable member between said housing portions, the axis of rotation of said rotatable member being eccentric with that of said housing.

15. As a subcombination, a hollow housing having one end closed, a first piston in said housing with one end forming a first fluid chamber therein with said closed end, a second piston reciprocal with respect to the housing and first piston and forming a second fluid chamber with the end of said first piston most removed from said closed end of said housing, a third piston connected to said second piston and slidably extending through said first piston to be in communication with said first fluid chamber, an annular part carried by said first piston adapted to be extended exteriorly of said housing upon movement of said first piston, a plurality of radially disposed knives carlar part and fluid passages into said fluid chambers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 in combination with means for urging said first and second pistons toward the closed end of said housing.

17. As a subcombination, a hollow housing having one end closed, a first piston slidably received in said housing and forming a fluid chamber with said closed end, an annular part extending from said first piston in the direction of the open end of said housing, a second piston received in said annular part reciprocal with respect thereto and forming a second fluid chamber with said first piston, a third piston carried by said second piston and slidably but sealingly extending through said first piston to be exposed to said first chamber, a plurality of radially disposed knives carried by said second piston within said annular part, fluid passages to said first and second chambers and means for biasing said second and first pistons toward the closed end of said housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 1'7 in combination with stop means for limiting movement of said second piston away from said first piston.

19. As a subcombination, a hollow housing, first and second pistons reciprocal in said housing and forming fluid chambers within said housing adapted to receive hydraulic fluid for moving said pistons, an annular part extending from said first piston and from said housing, a knife having a plurality of radially disposed cutting edges carried by said second piston and adapted to be moved away from said housing .-by saidxsecond piston, and means'formovingsaid, pistons soas to decrease the volume of said fluid'ohambers.

20. The apparatus ofi'claim 19 in combinations with means for'retracting said annular part a predetermined amount whensaid-second piston moves to extendzsaid knife away from said housing.

21. As a subcombination, a support a n annularv part, first means' fora moving, saidannular part with respect to said support,-a'knife havinga plu-g rality of radially disposed cutting edges adjacent said annular part, means "forwmoving said knife with respect to said annular part andsecond means for moving said annularipart QrPIBdGtBI edges adjacent said annular, part, fluid responsive means for moving said knife with respect to said annular part, and second fluid responsive means for moving said annular part a predeterminedamount in a direction opposite to that which it is moved by said first means, said movement in said opposite direction being responsive to movement of said knife.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 644,485 'Woodson Feb. 2'7, 1900 1,860,746 MacDougall May 31, 1932 2,002,289 Hancock May 21, 1935 2,405,303 Grupe Aug. 6, 1946 2,454,660 Leonard Nov. 23, 1948 2,540,020 Waters Jan. 30, 1951 2,590,710 Klopak Mar. 25, 1952 2,609,994 Gauldie Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 213,500 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1924 605,444 France May 26, 1926 

